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Mark Stedman/RollingNews.ie

Your phone will have better reception if you hold it in your right hand

Although the type of phone you have will also make a difference.

THE HAND YOU use to hold your phone could be having a negative effect on its reception quality.

A report commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers tested the signal quality of 26 popular smartphones from the likes of Apple, Samsung, HTC, Sony, Xiaomi, Huawei and Google’s Nexus range.

To test the quality of each phone, they were placed inside a testing space with a phantom head. A model hand would hold a phone on each side to see how much of a difference there was in reception quality.

Both the best and worst performing phones were also tested in free space, which was the same test but without the phantom head.

phone test How each phone was tested. Nordic Council of Ministers Nordic Council of Ministers

Of the phones tested, devices like the Microsoft Lumia 640 and 650 as well as others from Samsung S7 and HTC’s Desire range scored highly with the GSM900 signal, one of the most common signals used by phones to make calls worldwide.

The best phones for call quality in the right hand were the HTC Desire 626, the Samsung Galaxy S5 mini, the Samsung Galaxy J1 and Microsoft Lumia 640.

For the left hand, the DORO PhoneEasy 530X, Microsoft Lumia 640 and 650 and the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact scored highly.

The iPhone range including the SE, 6 and 6s performed poorly when held with either hand, particularly the left hand. The only phones that performed worse when held with the right hand were the HTC 10, the Microsoft Lumia 950 and Huawei P9.

The iPhone range has a history of less-than-stellar signal strength. When the iPhone 4 was released back in 2010, users complained about its antenna placement causing signal problems. At the time, Steve Jobs’ downplayed the claims saying it was a “non-issue” while others within Apple advised users to avoid gripping the device from the lower left corner.

If you’re in an area where the reception quality is high, then the way you hold it won’t matter. But if you’re having problems, changing the way you hold it or going hands-free could help improve things.

Read: There’s a way to get a more accurate read of your phone’s reception >

Read: These are the ways your iPhone will change when iOS 10 arrives >

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27 Comments
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    Mute Martin O'Brien
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    Sep 7th 2016, 3:12 PM

    Take me now Lord, for my life is now complete and I am ready to gaze upon thy face.

    126
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    Mute Alan Kelly's Ego
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    Sep 7th 2016, 3:14 PM

    If you stick your head out the window and stand on one leg with a coat hanger sticking out of your arse pocket it enhances the reception even further. Try it

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    Mute Micheal OLainn
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    Sep 7th 2016, 3:50 PM

    I find it better to stand on my head and hold the phone upside down but your method gives superior reception.

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    Mute Larissa Caroline Nikolaus
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    Sep 7th 2016, 9:31 PM

    I find, if you use a gyroscopic compass and then orient yourself to true north, stand on one leg, singing the hedgehog song, it’ll make you look extremely silly, and your phone reception is not affected in the least

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    Mute Les McQueen
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    Sep 7th 2016, 3:01 PM

    Well Holy God.

    31
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    Mute RandomAct Of Kindnes
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    Sep 7th 2016, 3:42 PM

    Moral of the story.. The iPhone 6S, iPhone & iPhone 5SE are the worst for call quality.

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    Mute Partysauras Rex
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    Sep 7th 2016, 4:15 PM

    Actually the article itself states:

    “The only phones that performed worse when held with the right hand were the HTC 10, the Microsoft Lumia 950 and Huawei P9.”

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    Mute Darren Byrne
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    Sep 7th 2016, 4:23 PM

    Partysauras

    That’s worse than compare to when they are held in the left hand. You forgot to include post from my iPhone in your comment or did the signal just cut out.

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    Mute RandomAct Of Kindnes
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    Sep 7th 2016, 5:29 PM

    @Partysauras — Actually the report itself states Apple iPhone 6S. Apple iPhone 6,Apple iPhone 6S & Apple iPhone 6S plus are the worst if holding on your left hand.

    See Page 8/9 Of full Report.
    http://www.pts.se/upload/Rapporter/Tele/2016/MobilephoneTest2016-augusti-2016.pdf

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    Mute James Delaney
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    Sep 8th 2016, 12:28 AM

    @random – Your taxing my brain.

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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Sep 7th 2016, 4:17 PM

    If you stood with the phone in your right hand then turn around and hold in your left how the fuk could there be a difference in reception?

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    Mute Gunnarsahn
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    Sep 7th 2016, 6:02 PM

    what if you pleasure yourself with your right hand..?

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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Sep 7th 2016, 3:13 PM

    Cool, easier to drive with the phone in your right hand also…..

    20
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    Mute ⚡ SCO Electrical ⚡
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    Sep 7th 2016, 3:34 PM

    What date is it??!!

    18
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    Mute Martin Sinnott
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    Sep 7th 2016, 3:22 PM

    It’s not April first is it

    16
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    Mute Living The Laws
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    Sep 7th 2016, 4:24 PM

    using the left hand always makes it feel like someone else anyway

    11
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    Mute Motherofdivinejebus
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    Sep 7th 2016, 5:01 PM

    What would happen if you held your phone in your left hand, and just turned 180 degrees ?

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Sep 7th 2016, 9:54 PM

    You might get dizzy and drop your phantom head?

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    Mute Micheal OLainn
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    Sep 7th 2016, 3:51 PM

    iPhone, therefore I am.

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    Mute KM TON
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    Sep 7th 2016, 4:11 PM

    Was a shit joke in the other story today and it’s still a shit one now lad..

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    Mute Brendan Mason
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    Sep 7th 2016, 4:21 PM

    Why not meet the person you are calling and then have the conversation. No need for phones.

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    Mute John Moylan
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    Sep 7th 2016, 9:25 PM

    ..@Brendan…..tried that. Twice. First time I had to turn back: 60 minutes rowing out into the Atlantic I was knackered. Second time cost me €1200. Can never get cheap tickets to Atlanta. ..

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    Mute James Delaney
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    Sep 8th 2016, 12:30 AM

    @johm moylan – For Cheap Tockets, Pat H is your only man.

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    Mute Shelley Keary
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    Sep 8th 2016, 12:13 AM

    Hahaha iPhones are crap. Told ya

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    Mute Paula Doran
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    Sep 7th 2016, 11:01 PM

    And I always thought I’d better hearing in my right ear!

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    Mute Madra Rua
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    Sep 7th 2016, 9:04 PM

    If you stood on your head with a phone in either hand you still wouldn’t get a decent reception around here! And there was I thinking 3 were the problem!

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    Mute Cathal O'Donoghue
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    Sep 8th 2016, 2:21 PM

    That photo was taken in Croke park where, on a match day, it doesn’t matter whether you hold it in your hand or between your teeth.

    1
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